Pablo Lechuga Paredes

My PhD research focuses on the genetic diversity assessment of axolotl species (Ambystoma dumerilii) populations, both in the wild and in captivity.

The species I’m working with is a narrow-endemic salamander found only in Lake Pátzcuaro, Mexico. Recent monitoring indicates that the remaining reproductive population could be fewer than 100 salamanders. I will be using molecular techniques (microsatellites) to assess the genetic diversity of the remaining wild population and to evaluate diversity in some ex-situ populations. My results could guide conservation decisions and reveal whether the population is experiencing genetic decline due to the reduction in population size that began 20 years ago.

Additionally, eDNA has been proposed to monitor the species; Lake Pátzcuaro is the third largest lake in Mexico, meaning that monitoring is a challenging task with traditional capture and release methods. I will be using 16S mitochondrial markers, choosing a highly variable region, to test this methodology for detecting salamanders in the wild. Environmental DNA is an emerging research area, and I am excited to apply this new tool to propose a less invasive method for salamander monitoring.

I was born in Mexico, where I studied my bachelor’s degree in biology at Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana. I then completed a Master’s in Entomology (MSc) at Colegio de Postgraduados (Texcoco, Mexico), where I became involved with genetics and new omics tools. My MSc thesis focused on discovering new antennae genes involved in chemical communication in a beetle pest (Anthonomus eugenii Coleoptera: Curculionidae) that attacks pepper crops.

My interest in genetics and omics tools started during my BSc course, as I found it fascinating—all the possibilities that molecular biology offers to solve problems in conservation, sustainable management, and uncovering mysteries in nature.